In traditional computing systems, communication between computers is either code (a software application) or data (a file containing information) and there is no notion of a program moving between hosts while it is being executed. Thus, with a typical computing system, a person may execute a software application (e.g., Microsoft Word) on his own computer and then forward the results of the execution of the software application (e.g., a Word document) to another user. The other user may then view the Word document by executing his own copy of Microsoft Word. A user may also send another user an executable software application file that the other user may download and execute on his own computer. However, these traditional computing systems do not recognize a single instantiation of a software program that may be executed by one or more different computers in order to complete the execution of the software application.
A mobile application, sometimes also called a mobile app or a mobile agent, is a currently executing computer software application/program, or part of a currently executing computer program that can physically move from one computer to another (between hosts) while it is being executed: A mobile application's software may or may not have been previously installed on a particular computers prior to the arrival of the mobile application. The mobile applications are said to jump from one computer to another computer and the process of jumping from one computer to another computer is also referred to as a jump.
The process of initiating a jump between computers is commonly known as a dispatch. Typically, each mobile application will carry with it an ordered list or tree of hosts which the mobile application must visit during its execution, and such a list or tree is called the mobile application's itinerary. The computers that can receive and dispatch mobile applications are called hosts. The collection of hosts, computer networks, and software which executes and supports the mobile applications, and the mobile applications themselves, is called the mobile application system.
A mobile application typically has at least two parts: the state and the code. The state of the mobile application contains all of the data stored, carried, and/or computed by the particular mobile application. The code of the mobile application is the set of computer instructions which the host computer is intended to carry out on behalf of the mobile application during the execution of the mobile application by the particular host computer. In addition, a mobile application may have other parts, including an Access Control List (ACL), an itinerary, a datastore, an audit log, etc. A mobile application's software may or may not have been previously installed on the computers prior to the arrival of the mobile application.
Mobile applications have demonstrable benefits for devices which employ wireless communication technologies. However, they also create a security problem. In particular, a lost or stolen wireless device might fall into the hands of an attacker who could use the mobile application system to attack both the mobile application system and other computing resources that are associated with the mobile application system. Thus, there is a need for a system by which a mobile application system can ensure that the person who is interacting with a host is allowed to do so. (e.g., that the wireless device used by the person is authenticated). Currently, the most popular authentication mechanism is a password. Typically, an application will request a password when the application is first invoked.
The use of a password for a mobile application presents a problem. In particular, with mobile applications, a host might be left running continuously in order to receive mobile applications from other hosts. In addition, a mobile application will typically be first invoked on one host and then later dispatched to another host. Thus, an attacker might be present at the receiving host and could possibly use the mobile application to attack. For these two reasons, and possibly others, traditional password authentication techniques do not suffice for mobile applications. Thus, it is desirable to provide a wireless device mobile application authentication system that overcomes the above problems with typical authentication systems and it is to this end that the present invention is directed.